Dell Alienware Area-51 Core i7-980 X Infused Gaming PC

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The Bundle and AlienFX

There's little question Alienware built this machine with the gamer in mind and hard core gamers definitely like break out the bling. Case lighting has been around in the system modder community for many years and it has gone mainstream enough that even big companies like Dell are getting into the action for both desktops and notebooks.

The screen shot above is taken from Alienware's AlienFX software, which is a component of the entire Alienware Command Center package that we demonstrated for you in our introductory video on the front page. AlienFX allows you to change lighting color from a myriad of choices and apply the color to one of five different locations around the case. It's a really nice touch that functions quite well and looks great. In the Command Center you can also adjust things like the top vent position and at what temperature they should open up to let more air out of or into the case. There is also a thermal monitoring section in the command center as well. On a side note, there's also a small push panel in front of the first, top vent louver, that when pushed in, exposes three USB 2.0 ports, Firewire, eSATA and front panel audio ports.

Finally, with the Area-51, Alienware includes a really nice programmable gaming keyboard, a precision gaming mouse that looks to be of the Logitech G8 variety, an Alienware gaming mouse pad, along with various cables and adapters, a driver and recovery CD, and a well made, descriptive leather-bound owner's manual. Or is that "pleather?" Regardless, it's nice.